**Russian Troops’ Thermal Camouflage Fails to Conceal Them from Ukrainian Drones**
A recent drone footage has exposed Russian soldiers, making them visible to thermal sensors due to faulty equipment and poor training. The thermal camouflage gear was meant to conceal body heat from thermal and night vision sensors, but it has turned out to be a liability instead.
The specialized coats and blankets were supposed to blend in with the surrounding terrain, but flawed technology and lack of proper training have made them useless. Instead of hiding their presence, the equipment creates cold spots that stand out against warmer terrain, making soldiers easier to detect.
“This is no invisibility cloak,” said Hamish de Bretton-Gordon, a former British Army colonel and chemical weapons expert. “In fact, because of the contrast, it makes them more acquirable than less.” The footage from the Lyman direction shows Russian troops clearly visible to Ukrainian drones despite wearing thermal camouflage.
**Poor Training Exposes Troops**
The issue with Russia’s thermal camouflage extends beyond subpar equipment. Even with better-quality gear, soldiers often leave arms, legs, or heads exposed due to poor training. This makes them easy targets for thermal surveillance. “Instances of incompetence by Russian personnel who clearly do not understand how to use their equipment,” said Nick Reynolds, a research fellow at the Royal United Services Institute.
**Ukraine’s Advanced Suits Give Them an Edge**
In contrast, Ukrainian forces have reportedly used similar suits to much better effect. Ukraine’s camouflage gear weighs 2.5 kilograms and is made of multiple layers of polymers, microfibers, and metal-particle fabrics. “Our goal is to disguise the military and equipment from the enemy as reliably as possible,” said Deputy Defense Minister Vitalii Polovenko.
**Modern Warfare: Thermal Imaging and Real-Time Targeting**
The failures of Russia’s thermal camouflage highlight a broader shift in modern warfare. Ukrainian drones combine thermal imaging and real-time targeting for precise nighttime strikes, making it difficult for Russian troops to hide. “They need to cover their whole bodies,” said de Bretton-Gordon.
**A Worsening Technological Gap**
As Reynolds noted, the technological gap is only widening: “Thermal cameras on drones are both improving and becoming cheaper as manufacturing processes improve.” Russia’s reliance on cheap and ineffective thermal suits raises serious questions about quality control. With Ukraine using advanced suits to great effect, it remains to be seen how Russian troops will adapt to this new reality.
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